Root rot?

[donnacreation]

I'm concerned 2 Pindo palms I planted 15 yrs ago have root rot.  Not knowing any better, I planted them on a flood plain.  They grew at a much faster rate than those I planted in well drained soil.  I noticed last summmer that the emerging fronds on one planted in full sun were stunted - perfectly formed but much smaller than the older fronds.  The palm produced many fruit pods that I cut away to promote growth.  By August I was sick of the heat and let them grow and produce fruit.  I just noticed this morning, much to my horror and grief,  another that I planted in shade (also about 15 yrs ago) was also  producing stunted, smaller fronds. As the pics show, the fronds aren't yellow, spotted or frazzled, just stunted.  Could they have finally gotten big enough that the roots are are getting in soil too wet, especially in winter?  Could something else be the culprit?  Anybody else ever grow Pindo palms successfully in poorly drained soil?  I'm growing 2 palmettoes from seedlings that were also planted 15 yrs ago and they look great - at least so far.   Please advise. Ugh...

[Swolte]

How was your last winter? Exceptionally wet, wet-cold?

[D Palm]

Could be a nutrient deficiency causing stunted fronds. Palmettos generally are not picky with nutrients.

[donnacreation]

Last winter wasn't exceptionally wet or cold.  Lowest temp was 3 nights @ 17f.  Still it was the coldest winter in 3 yrs.

[donnacreation]

I bought magnesium, but haven't applied it yet..  The problem is with 2 Pindo palms.  The 2 palmettos I planted from seedlings about 15 yrs ago look great.  I don't think palmettos mind having wet feet.  I recently planted 25 more seedling palmettos.  The ground is very dry now, but sometimes gets soggy in winter.

Edited April 2, 2022 by donnacreation

[Looking Glass]

If nutritional, Manganese would likely be the culprit, less likely Boron, in new growth. Magnesium deficiency is an old growth problem.   

[donnacreation]

Thanks!  Actually I did buy Manganese Sulfate specifically for palms.  I've never applied any nutrients to my palms.  Should I sprinkle the Manganese around the palm, cover with mulch and thoroughly water.  We're in a drought and the ground is bone dry.  Also no significant rainfall indicated in the extended weather forecast.  BTW, I have a Pindo ( Vector variant) only 20 ' feet away that is growing normally.

[D Palm]

Pro tip: Epsolm salt unscented is cheaper. I use it in the spring. 1 cup mixed with 2 gallons of water. Also use general palm fertilizer. Other Pindos in my area usually show nutrient deficiency. Mine have thick trunks with very large fronds.

[GregVirginia7]

My Trachy went from mostly shade to full sun and the fronds shrunk dramatically, but sounds like light intensity changes aren’t the issue here. One would think, if it was root rot, fronds would look terrible, droopy, brown, desiccated, all over the palm. Maybe it is the opposite if you are in a drought situation? I know we’ve been very dry here in NOVA and it looks like the south, in general, is on the dry side. I’m with you on the plain Epsom salt. I throw it around all my palms in small amounts...probably overkill since I feed regularly with commercial fertilizer but I know roses really respond to the magnesium for sure. All the best on your palms...they look great!

[donnacreation]

Thanks for the advice.  I have Epsom salt and will be applying it today.  I also have Jobes Organics Palm fertilizer, but it expired last May.  I wonder if it's still good?  I'm hoping the intense summer heat and humidity, which arrives in mid/late May,  kick starts more robust growth.

[8BPalms]

On 4/2/2022 at 11:48 PM, D Palm said:

Pro tip: Epsolm salt unscented is cheaper. I use it in the spring. 1 cup mixed with 2 gallons of water. Also use general palm fertilizer. Other Pindos in my area usually show nutrient deficiency. Mine have thick trunks with very large fronds.

Magnesium sulfate is not manganese sulfate.

I normally fertilize with an all-around fertilizer (macros + micros), that is moderate on the NPK, like 10-10-10.. 

Personally I usually don't fertilize with single (technically magnesium sulfate would be two) nutrients, out of fears of pH imbalance and potential nutrient lockouts. Although you may be just fine doing that, I would rather not out of precaution.. at least, use small bits at a time spread out..

[8BPalms]

On 4/3/2022 at 8:15 AM, donnacreation said:

Thanks for the advice.  I have Epsom salt and will be applying it today.  I also have Jobes Organics Palm fertilizer, but it expired last May.  I wonder if it's still good?  I'm hoping the intense summer heat and humidity, which arrives in mid/late May,  kick starts more robust growth.

The minerals aren't going anywhere. Nitrogen... maybe it could degrade some. Youre fine. lol.

[8BPalms]

Also I did want to add that I planted a row of pindos on a hill with thick clay. However the hill can become somewhat of a drain to another hill's runoff, when there is excessive rain, and stay very moist/wet pretty close to the ground layer for weeks.. After a couple years two of the pindos on each periphery of the row died out of the blue. They all looked like they were growing fine which was weird. I assume they died from water-logging, but the roots are still strongly in there even after a year or two of spear pull and no new growth. I can't rule anything else out, except possibly freak fungus.

Edited April 6, 2022 by 8BPalms

[donnacreation]

Sorry for my late response.  I took pics to my county extension agent and he assured me everything was fine.  The fronds have grown bigger since I first posted. I've lost a few Windmill palms over the years that exhibited progressively smaller and smaller fronds until they finally died,  and I was afraid this was happening to my Pindos.  I'll start a new thread with pics of a few of my Windmill palms I'm concerned about.

[Dartolution]

Am I the only one that cant tell that there's any abnormal growth in the above images? It appears completely normal to me... 

[donnacreation]

Okay, hotshot.  Point taken.  I have lost Windmill palms over the past 16 yrs since moving down from Philadelphia.  They grow great for years, then slowly start to die.  It can be an excruciatingly long decline before I give up on them and cut them down.  I treated 4 Windmills today with magnesium sulfate and tons of watering.  I did the same to a Euro fan palm that I had given up on but decided to try magnesium sulfate on it as well.  I'm very busy with tons of yardwork.  I've created a 2 acre botannical garden and do everything with no help.  I have a lot to do before the horrible heat and humidity arrive next month.  There's so much more to a proper Southern garden than just a gaggle of palms.  I have to climb up a ladder tomorrow to remove scale from a few tall Palmettos.  I'm also working on 2 shade gardens.  Also need to dig up and relocate lots of crinum lilies.  I love the NOLA garden described in Tennesse William's playSuddenly Last Summer.  I've been working on my Dawn of Creation for 16 yrs.  Thus my handle donnacreation.  I'm growing lots of Japanese Loquat trees, Magnolia figo, grand magnolia, little gem magnolias, tea olive trees, pittosprum trees, camellias, azaleas, lace leaf mahonias,  acuba, 5 different varieties of gardenia, 20+ Sago cycads, sweet viburnum, live oaks, , cypress, fatsia, lorapetalum, sweetbox, edgeworthia, daphne, and tons of other plants whose names I can't remember.  Also roses, 25 palmettos and 20 Pindo palms.  Plus of course dwarf palmetto, needle palms and saw palmetto. I'll post pics when I have the time and energy showing the stunted emerging frons of some my Windmills and one Euro fan palm.  I'm optimistic the heavy watering and magnesium sulfate will energize the emerging smallish fronds.  Peace.

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by donnacreation
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[SeanK]

Didn't Myrtle beach get snow or ice this past winter? Did that reach as far west as Sumter?

I can tell you that jelly palms absolutely don't like freezing precipitation in the bud.